Featured App: WordBook Dictionary for WP

Wordbook is a comprehensive dictionary/thesaurus with 150,000 entries and more than 230,000 definitions. All of the entries include real human voice audios and most include pronunciation guides. The app has a fast and intuitive interface. Wordbook has “browser-like” content navigation with the ability tap any word and view its definition.

The app opens to a metro style interface with three screens you can flick through; recent, favorites and random. Recent is easy, every time you search a word, it gets dropped onto this screen. All three of these screens can be cleared by simply shaking your device. FYI, only the active screen will disappear/change when you shake. Any word you lookup can be added to “favorites”. Random is a list of words that changes each time you open the app or give it a quick shake. Interesting if you want to know the definition for a word like, “isometry” (discourteous, ill-mannered).

To get started, type the word you are looking for in the text box at the top of any screen. As you type, a list of five words are displayed, changing as you add additional letters. You can select your word as soon as you see it. If you typed your word correctly it will be at the top of the list, but if not there is a good chance it will be on the list anyway. For example, I typed, “mobilety” to see what I would get, The displayed words included; mobilisation, mobilise, mobility, mobilization and mobilize. Good way to find a word you don’t know how to spell. Note that when you first open the app and start typing, there is a short lag before your letters are displayed. But this only happens on the first word entered. My guess is the word database does not load until you start typing. Selecting a favorite or recent word takes you right to definitions.

Once you select your word the app jumps to the definitions screen, which provides, well the definition. You can tap the speaker icon to hear how your word is pronounced. Note that there is a short delay while the app looks up your word. Some words include word origins and/ or usage samples. This is another metro like group of screens; definitions, links and thesaurus. At the bottom of each screen there are four icons: back, forward, add (to favorites) and share. Back & forward come into play when you tap a word on the definitions screen for example, so you can move back and forth between your original lookup word and additional definitions. Tapping share brings up your available email accounts and when selected loads whichever screen you are currently on (definitions/apps/thesaurus) into the body of your email. That’s a nice feature. To move between the screens you need to flick near the top of the screen on the page header. Remember, any word you tap will become your new lookup word, so you can really drill down with this app. Tapping the WP “back” button will take you out of definitions view, so you need to use the app’s back/forward buttons to navigate within definitions. The definition, links and thesaurus screens all support pinch and zoom although it becomes a little difficult to navigate as scrolling around the screen can activate another word definition inadvertently.

I know I can find definitions for words via my browser for free, but there is nothing like having ready access to a dictionary to check spelling, definitions and word alternatives. I always had a dictionary app on my PocketPC’s / WinMo phones, and I am glad I found this one. Wordbook is currently rated at 4.5 stars so I think I picked a winner. You can download a free trial or purchase the app in Zune Marketplace (fair, bazaar, emporium, establishment, store) for $2.99.